Episode Addition to the Gunsmoke ep The Badge
by meri.MKfan
Summary: What happened after Matt and Kitty's midnight stroll at the end of The Badge.


_As so often happens with M/K-focused episodes, when I saw The Badge again recently, I watched that great last scene and thought, 'man, these things always end too soon!'. ;-) I also noticed that part way across the street, Matt and Kitty appear to have a brief conversation, and then just a little further on, they appear to have yet another interaction of some sort. I started wondering what was said, and then, well, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I'd added quite a bit to the end of this episode! _

**Episode Addition to The Badge**

"Pretty quiet tonight."

Kitty looked up at the man walking in comfortable unison beside her across an almost deserted Front Street. "Sure is," she agreed.

"Festus just finished rounds." Matt's emotive blue eyes filled in the rest, _"so I'll be off duty for a while, and available to share more than just a drink…"_

Kitty smiled up at him. She rubbed her hand over his bicep and squeezed gently, letting him know she understood and welcomed the unspoken offer.

As they crossed the street toward the familiar facade of the saloon that had been the center of her life for so many years, a wave of memories washed over her, some bitter but many sweet, and no small number of them featuring the big man at her side. Unconsciously she squeezed his arm again. This repeat of her earlier gesture caused him to look down and recapture her gaze. The intensity of his look sent a frisson of desire straight to her core. _"You are my woman," _it said, _"and I want to remind you how good that can make you feel." _

As they reached the saloon, Kitty pulled out her key and quickly opened the doors to let them in. She'd already stopped by the Long Branch after she left her buggy at the stable. In fact, she had thought to turn in, figuring at that late hour she wouldn't see Matt until morning. But she'd seen the light still burning at his office, and it had drawn her back out into the night, unable to entertain the notion of sleep while he might be waiting for her.

And sure enough, he was. With his back to the door, he apparently thought she was Festus, whom she'd seen disappearing down the boardwalk. When she called him "Cowboy" he'd turned and stared at her, unable at first to process the reality of her presence. He'd recovered pretty quickly, though, and wasted little time in setting her up to invite him back to the Long Branch. She'd happily obliged, loving the way his face lit up when he saw the invitation in hers.

Now that they were here, she found herself feeling oddly nervous, and she quickly moved behind the bar to retrieve a bottle of her best brandy and two glasses. Matt leaned against the bar, watching as she poured. She handed him a glass, finally looking into his eyes. She realized she was afraid of what she might see, afraid that being back here together might remind him of how weak she'd been, that she'd abandoned him when he needed her most, broken her commitment to stand by him. It was a commitment that challenged her to her core at times, but one she'd made freely, and one she now knew she would make again. It meant accepting the hard fact that his badge circumscribed what he could give in return, but she also knew that all he **could** give was hers, and only hers, as long as she wanted it.

As she looked up into his familiar sky blue eyes, she could see some hurt lingering there, but mostly she saw love, and as their gazes locked, a growing desire. Raising her glass, she asked, "What shall we drink to?"

He raised his glass to hers. "To coming home."

"To coming home." She touched her glass to his and raised the brandy to her lips, savoring the sweet burning liquid on her tongue.

Matt took a large swallow, his eyes never leaving her face. Slowly he lowered the glass to the bar, straightening up to his considerable full height. Kitty shivered slightly; she loved that her man was so tall and strong. She was on the tall side herself, for a woman, able to look more than a few men straight in the eye, but she always felt positively dainty beside her towering cowboy.

Reaching out, he removed the glass from her now nerveless fingers, then reclaimed her hand. At his gentle tug, she came to him, feeling his free arm slip around her waist to pull her close. He brought the hand he held to his lips, brushing soft erotic kisses across her fingers as his blue eyes held her captive.

She knew he could feel her shiver at his touch, saw his eyes darken with desire. He released her hand and she slid it around his neck, plunging her fingers into the abundant curls at the back of his head. Her other hand traced a path up his arm, stroking sensuously over his strong shoulder and down across his chest, flicking open the top button of his shirt and slipping inside, her nails tracing lazy patterns on his skin.

She felt his other arm slide around her body, slipping lower to tangle in her skirts, searching for the feel of her rounded flesh beneath the bustle. He pulled her to him, pressing their hips together so tightly she could feel his hardness despite all the layers she was wearing. His eyes held her to him as completely as his arms could ever do, speaking all the words of love and longing that he found so hard to say aloud.

Reaching up, she brushed her lips to his. It was all the invitation he needed. A deep noise, somewhere between a growl and a groan, rose from his chest as he bent down to claim her. His mouth closed over hers, and she melted into him, reveling in the taste and feel and sound of his desire.

Finally they paused to breathe. Kitty felt intoxicated, not from the brandy but from the feel of her cowboy's arms holding her tight and the heat of his kisses after their weeks apart. "Matt," she whispered hoarsely, brushing his lips with hers, "we're too old to use the bar for this – come to bed."

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A low chuckle rumbled through his chest at the memory – more than a few times in their younger days they'd given in to the urgency of their desire for each other before they reached the privacy of her room. He figured they'd probably made love in or on pretty much every part of the saloon at one point or another, including the bar. And somehow, they'd never been caught – that they could prove, at least. He was pretty sure that Sam had discreetly let himself out the back a number of times over the years, but the one time Matt had tried to thank him for his discretion, the stoic bartender had steadfastly refused to 'get' his meaning, saying only that protecting his employer's privacy was very important to him.

Sam had long since left for the night, so the whole saloon was theirs, but one thing the passing years had brought both him and his passionate redhead was at least a modicum of patience, not to mention an increased fondness for the comfort and privacy of her bed as a lovemaking locale. He smiled down at the beauty in his arms, sending silent, heartfelt thanks to whatever God might be listening for the gift of her love and understanding. Even after 15 years, he couldn't really believe she'd chosen, and kept choosing, to be his woman. He might not have the right to ask her to stay, but he figured there was no rule against making her glad she had. Bending to sample one more sweet kiss, he let her lead him up the stairs.

As soon as she turned the lock on her bedroom door, he pulled her to him again, kissing her fiercely. Slipping her arms around his neck, she returned the embrace, leaving him no doubt that she wanted him too. Unfortunately, they both had too many clothes on to proceed much further. Reaching for the buttons on his shirt, she made quick work of it, baring his chest and sliding the shirt and vest down over his broad shoulders. Quickly he shrugged his arms out of the sleeves and pulled her to him for another long kiss, his hands roaming over her all too clothed form.

Impatient as he was to remove the cloth barriers between them, he was also mindful of the damage he'd done to various bits of her wardrobe over the years in his eagerness to rid her of them. That was trouble he certainly didn't need right now, so when he felt her push against his chest he let her go, satisfying himself by pulling the pins from her hair while she started on the numerous buttons that always seemed to stand in the way of his desire.

Years of practice, plus some detailed instructions from Kitty following a few spectacularly unsuccessful early attempts, had given him an unusual facility with at least the 'undoing' part of female hairstyles, and he quickly removed the necessary hairpins, freeing the bright coppery tresses to fall about her shoulders.

Knowing how it pleased him, Kitty let him let him run his fingers through her unbound hair to retrieve the remaining pins before pushing him gently away so she could finish undressing. Temporarily denied her touch, Matt took the opportunity to lean against the wall and pull off his boots and socks, watching intently as she deftly shed her outer garments, petticoat, and corset in rapid succession, leaving her in nothing but a silk chemise and pantalets. That sight was too much for his self control. Stepping forward, he pulled her back into his arms, sliding his hands appreciatively over her silk-clad figure.

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"Mmmm… much better." Matt's voice was low and sexy, his hands firm and sure as they traced her curves. Kitty smiled as she looked up into his handsome face. That infectious smile and those bedroom eyes had been her undoing that first day in Delmonico's, and she was no more able to resist them now.

Tilting her face up, she offered him her lips. He was more than happy to oblige, capturing her mouth for a heated kiss. She enthusiastically returned his embrace, slipping her arms around his shoulders and holding tight as he lifted her up to his level, molding her body to his. When they paused for breath, she rested her cheek against his, enjoying the erotic feel of his evening beard against her skin. Her voice husky with desire, she whispered in his ear. "Take me to bed, Cowboy."

Growling into her neck, he quickly crossed the room to the side of her bed. Setting her back on the floor, he immediately slid his hands beneath her chemise. She felt his long calloused fingers sliding up her sides, taking the flimsy garment with them. She was vaguely aware of him tossing it aside before his hands returned to her naked skin and her world became all feeling again, his strong fingers roaming possessively across her body as his mouth reclaimed hers. Soon she felt his hand catch the waist of her pantalets, pulling them down over the swell of her hips to fall softly in a puddle of silk at her feet. Both hands reached around her now, fitting her hips snugly against his.

Deciding that he was distinctly overdressed, she pushed back slightly, stroking her hands down his bare chest to the top of his pants. Immediately divining her intent, he let go so she could complete her task. Letting her undress him was one of the few indulgences her very self-sufficient man allowed them both, standing obediently still while her practiced hands undid his belt and slipped the buttons on his fly from their holes. Sliding her fingers beneath the waistband of both pants and long johns, Kitty quickly slid the last of his clothing past his hips and down his legs until he stepped free.

Satisfied, she ran her hands lovingly up his long, strong legs. Curling her fingers, she began to rake her nails slowly up his body, tracing a sensuous path over the contours of his thighs, hips, stomach and chest to skim across his broad shoulders. She flattened her palms against his skin then, sliding her fingers slowly and lovingly down the hard muscles of his arms.

When her hands reached his, he caught them in his larger ones, tugging her against his now naked body as he raised her arms to his shoulders. She came willingly, threading her fingers through his curls, hungrily pulling his mouth down to hers as she pressed against him.

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At the feel of her skin against his, Matt couldn't suppress a moan of desire. Holding her tightly to him, he plundered her mouth with urgent, hot kisses, claiming her. She was his woman, his love. His body wanted her, but more than that, his soul wanted her. It was his soul that had suffered most while she was gone, lacking the steady flame of her presence that was his beacon in the darkness, his refuge from the cold. Now that his flame had returned, he felt fully alive again. He couldn't get enough of the feel and taste and scent of her. He wanted her with a completeness he had not thought possible before they met.

Unable to hold back another second, he scooped her into his arms and deposited her onto the bed, never untangling them, so that he came too, covering her soft form with his larger one. Sighing happily, she smiled up at him, love and desire showing clearly in her amazing blue eyes. She was his woman, but when she looked at him like that, he was her slave, body and soul.

"I'm all yours, cowboy." Kitty's voice was low and sure, her hands sliding sensuously down his sides. "All yours." Matt heard himself groan with need as he felt her hand slip between them, her loving touch reminding him of how much pleasure his incredible woman took in pleasing him. He summoned all his self control. Tonight he wanted her pleasure; his own was incidental to his plan. Happily, she was making very clear that what would please her right now was the very thing that would please him above all else. If there was a feeling more exquisite than becoming one with the love of his life, he doubted he would ever know it.

"Kitty…" His voice was rough with passion as he buried his face in her neck. Using his lips and tongue and teeth, he tasted and teased the sensitive spots he knew so well, the delicate sensations creating an erotic counterpoint to the steady rhythm of their joining. "Matt… yes… Matt…" He could feel her nails raking up and down his back as she voiced her appreciation for his efforts. Reclaiming her lips, he poured all the love and longing he'd stored up during their time apart into a prolonged and passionate kiss.

Looking down at his beautiful redhead, he saw that Kitty's eyes were half closed, glazed with desire. Smiling in satisfaction, he returned to his pleasurable task, wanting to leave no shadow of doubt in her world that as long as he was her man, her satisfaction was guaranteed. He delighted in making her moan with pleasure, reveled in the feeling of her fingers clutching his curls as he worshipped every curve and hollow of her soft skin.

As he closed his teeth on a particularly sensitive spot, she arched beneath him with a small cry of delight, sending a jolt of desire straight to his core. His senses on overload, he was barely hanging on, but he was determined not to take his pleasure before her. Not until she cried out in ecstasy did he finally let himself surrender to his own need, reclaiming her as his woman in the most primal of ways.

Finally spent, he let her pull him down into her embrace, managing to press a soft kiss to her lips before surrendering to slumber.

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As she returned to her senses, Kitty's first thought was what an incredible lover she had in the big man now resting peacefully in her arms. Her second thought was what a complete idiot she'd been to run away from the most amazing man she'd ever known, a man who loved her with all he had, in every way he could, a man who had always accepted her completely, just as she was, even when she couldn't find the strength to do the same. Impulsively, she wrapped her arms around his wide shoulders and squeezed him tightly, her heart filled with happiness. Still drowsing, he responded by snuggling closer to her side, tightening the arm draped possessively around her waist.

Gently stroking his broad back, she enjoyed the rare opportunity to simply look her fill. The passing years had left their mark on the handsome young lawman she'd fallen so hard for all those years ago. Besides the scars he carried – the newest addition, the one that had sent her to Ballard, still pink and tender to the touch – the heavy burdens of his job had carved deepening lines in his boyish face, and his beautiful dark brown curls were now shot through with gray. But for her money, he was still the handsomest man in all of Kansas, with a smile that could make her darkest day bright, and the most expressive blue eyes she'd ever seen.

Matt Dillon's cold blue stare could make a gunfighter blanch with the knowledge of certain death, and yet those same blue eyes, dark with desire, could make her blush with thoughts of promised pleasure. They often spoke to her of the pain he couldn't or wouldn't voice aloud, of his disgust at the meaningless death that surrounded him, the stupidity and betrayal, the prejudice and meanness that his world was much too full of. Yet those same eyes could be full of laughter and mischief as he chased her along the banks of Silver Creek, or gentle and tender as he bent down to greet one of the smaller members of his Dodge City flock.

Unable to resist, she let her fingers trace a gentle path from temple to jaw. Rousing slightly, he blinked a few times before meeting her gaze, his sleepy blue eyes warm with love. As her thumb stroked across his lips, he parted them, his tongue darting out to caress the pad. Smiling at the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, Kitty stroked along his jaw, moving in to place a soft kiss on his parted lips. Still sated, but unable to resist the invitation, he kissed her back, his lips caressing hers with a lazy sensuality admired by many of Dodge's female residents over the years, but which he reserved in practice for her alone.

"Mmmm…" Kitty couldn't remember the last time she felt so happy, so safe and content. A pang of guilt broke through her reverie – to think she had almost thrown it all away in her fear and pain. Thank goodness he'd followed her, showing her by his steady example what commitment really meant.

"Matt…" She pulled back to meet his eyes, wanting him to see the love and the regret in hers. "I'm so sorry I left you…"

"Shhh…" Matt dropped a soft kiss on her lips. "Kitty, it's over, you're back and safe, and that's all that matters."

"Oh Matt…" Kitty felt tears forming at the love and commitment she saw in his steady blue gaze.

"Kitty, I know how hard it is for you, when… when things happen." He looked down, his voice serious and remorseful now. "I'm thankful for it every day, but… I'll never understand why you want me to be your man – you deserve so much more than I can give you."

Kitty felt a tear roll down her cheek. Her fingers gently lifted his chin, making him look at her again. "Don't say that, Matt. You're everything I could want, everything I need." His look said she was clearly deluded to think so, but he wasn't going to argue. She fixed him with her steadiest gaze, wanting him to see the truth of her next words. "I love you, Matt Dillon, and I know you love me. That's what's important. That's what counts, in the end."

Matt gently brushed the tear from her cheek. His voice was deep with emotion. "I do love you, Kitty. I know I don't tell you enough…"

She caught his hand in hers, pressing a kiss into his broad calloused palm. "You show me every day, Matt, in so many ways. It's one thing I never doubt. Never."

He twined his fingers with hers, leaning in to seal their understanding with a kiss. When he drew back to look at her again, his eyes once again held that mischievous twinkle she loved. Pulling their entwined fingers down to his waist, he deposited her hand there. "Now, if you **were** to start doubting, even a little, well…" His fingers traced a slow, sensual path up her bare arm to her shoulder. "I guess I'd have to find a way to convince you…"

Kitty offered up her most seductive smile, her hand sliding down across his firm backside to pull him closer. "Now that you mention it, Cowboy, I could use a bit more convincing…"

_FIN_

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